Ryella's Winter Carols
by triniroo
Summary: AU – A series of winter stories about Ryan Evans and Gabriella Montez.  NOTE: New chapter for Winter 2011! READ and REVIEW
1. Let It Snow

Ryella's Winter Carols

Summary: AU – A series of winter stories about Ryan and Gabriella. Most will probably be based on a Christmas/Winter song.

I don't own HSM or any of the amazing characters in the films.

Let It Snow

Gabriella had somehow convinced her mother to let her go to the Evans' this afternoon despite the heavy snowfall that graced New Mexico this December. Ryan had invited her earlier in the week to spend the evening with him; however, he did not anticipate the approaching snow storm.

Gabriella arrived at the Evans' around four in the afternoon bundled up in a long coat, Wellington boots, gloves and a scarf. Sharpay greeted Gabriella at the door with an amused smirk. She was wearing a plush pastel pink robe with fuzzy pink slippers; her hair was still wet from her mid-day shower. Gabriella stepped inside of the house pushing past Sharpay and took off her coat saying, "Have a nice shower?"

Sharpay just gave her a fake grin and then called up the stairs, "Ryan, she's here!" She turned and walked into the kitchen leaving Gabriella standing in the entryway. Sharpay still didn't like the idea of Ryan and Gabriella dating.

Gabriella hung up her coat and pulled off her boots and other winter accessories, revealing a light, purple sweater and black pants with black flats. Ryan raced down the stairs a few seconds later in a red and white striped shirt and khaki pants. He picked up Gabriella by the waist and spun her around. "Hey, Gaby!"

She giggled as he set her back on her feet.

"Hey, Ry." Gabriella gave him a peck on the cheek; he grinned.

"So," Ryan said as he grabbed her hand, leading her into the den, "are you ready?"

"Yep!" Gabriella said excitedly. They had planned to spend the evening watching Christmas films—of Gabriella's choosing of course.

The den was very large and set up as a private cinema. There were rows of big, red, comfy arm chairs and couches for seating. In the back were the projector and a kitchenette complete with microwave, fridge, and sink. Gabriella gaped and awed as Ryan led her behind a curtain to where another large room held many shelves and racks of DVDs; it was like being in a Blockbuster. Ryan pointed to a shelf on the wall on his left.

"These are all of our Christmas films," he said proudly.

Gabriella gaped. "There must be around a hundred movies here."

"Well, some of them are remakes of the originals. So, I dunno-"

Gabriella cut him off when she found her favorite film. "You have the original Miracle on 34th Street with Natalie Wood!" Ryan smiled and watched as she pulled the film off of the rack and hugged the box to her chest. "It's my favorite!" She relished. In only a few minutes, Gabriella had a pile of over 20 DVDs that she wanted to watch.

"Gabriella," Ryan said smiling. "We only have time to watch about three of those." He pointed to the pile on the floor. Gabriella sat on the floor with crossed legs and sighed. It took her a full 20 minutes to narrow the pile down to only three. As she discarded a film, Ryan returned it to its proper place on the shelf; all of the movies were organized by category and alphabetically.

Gabrielle stood up from the floor holding onto the final three films. She turned to Ryan.

"A child's believing in Santa film," she said as she showed him Miracle on 34th Street. "An adults believing in Santa comedy," she held out The Santa Clause. "And a love story," she held out The Holiday.

Ryan smiled and picked up Gabriella so that she was sitting in his arms.

"Good. Let's go," he said to her as he carried her back into the den. He plopped her on the love seat in the first row, her feet hanging over an arm of the couch, and held out his hand to her. "I'll take those, thank you."

Gabriella handed him the DVDs.

Ryan went to the back of the room to set up the projector and put a bag of popcorn in the microwave. He scanned the DVD boxes for any sign of one of them being a musical: no luck. He sighed. He would have preferred White Christmas but he said that Gabriella could choose tonight. Honestly, Ryan probably hadn't seen even close to a quarter of the films in the back room and most of the ones he watched were musicals. _Well. There's a first time for everything_, he thought to himself.

When the microwave sounded, Ryan grabbed the popcorn, poured it into a bowl from the kitchenette and pressed play on the DVD player. He walked back to Gabby who looked a little bored, but she brightened up when she saw him arrive with the popcorn.

"Sorry I took so long, Gaby," he apologized.

"No worries. You're here now," she said and scooted over on the couch so that he could sit beside her. Ryan placed the bowl of popcorn in Gabriella's lap and sidled into the seat. He put his arm around her as the opening credits of Miracle on 34th Street began.

-RYELLA-

By the time that Ryan and Gabriella had finished all three films it was already very late into the night. Gabriella had snuggled up to Ryan somewhere in-between the Santa Clause and The Holiday; her head lay on his shoulder, her hand on his chest. Ryan wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on top of hers. They sat like that for a while letting the end credits of The Holiday scroll, not really paying attention until Gabriella's watch beeped. It was officially 11:30 pm. She groaned and held on to Ryan even more.

"What's up?" He asked softly.

"It's 11:30. I have to go."

Ryan shifted a little on the couch so that he could hold her closer. "I don't want you to go," he fake pouted. He even stuck out his lip even though she couldn't see it.

She giggled. "I have to. My curfew is midnight." She began to sit up. Ryan's arms loosened only a little, keeping her trapped against his warm body. She looked up into his eyes. They were filled with so much love and the blues of his eyes seemed to shimmer as the light from the screen reflected in them; she wanted to melt right there in his arms. Her watch beeped again, bringing her out of her reverie. She sighed again and gave an 'I'm sorry' smile. "Ry, I really have to go."

Reluctantly, Ryan let her go and stood up from the couch. Her hand slid down his chest as he did this making his insides tingle. He held out a hand to Gabriella, which she took, and he gave her tug. She was thrust out of her seat and fell against Ryan's chest. He wrapped her in his arms and gave her a quick snog before picking her up and carrying her to the front door.

Ryan set Gabriella down by the stairs and attempted to look out the window pane in the front door but it was completely frosted over. Gabriella began to pull on her boots and jacket when Ryan opened the door, then immediately closed it. Gabriella turned around when she heard the door shut.

"Ryan, why-" she began, but Ryan interrupted her.

"You're not going to need those." Ryan said pointing to her jacket and boots.

"Why not?" Gabriella asked curiously.

Ryan smirked. "Because you'll never find your car." He tried to hold back his laughter as Gabriella's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"What do you mean?" She cried as she rushed to the door pulling on her gloves. She yanked open the door and looked around at the snow-covered streets and houses. A blizzard was blowing so fiercely that she could hardly see beyond the Evans' front porch, though she hardly needed to; the elevated porch was covered with about 3 inches of snow. Gabriella slowly closed the door and leant back against it, closing her eyes.

"My mother is going to kill me," she said to Ryan.

Ryan laughed out loud. "Just call her. She'll understand. There's no way she could expect you to come home in that."

Ryan leaned against the door with only one arm supporting him. With his free hand, Ryan caressed Gabriella's cheek, and then gave her a light kiss on the lips. She opened her eyes and sighed into his mouth; he chuckled.

"You seem to be doing a lot of that recently."

"Doing what?" She asked.

Ryan imitated her sighing. She giggled and playfully smacked him on the arm. Just then they heard footsteps on the stairs as Sharpay made her way down, still dressed in her pink robe and slippers. She only made it a little way when she noticed them. She smirked, "Oh. It's _Gabryan._" Sharpay knew that Ryan hated the stupid nicknames people gave couples so when he started to date Gabriella she made up 'Gabryan'. Ryan made a face.

"Keep it down would you?" Sharpay continued. "Some of us _like_ to sleep." And with that she abruptly turned around, her hair whipping behind her, and went back to her room. Gabby looked at Ryan who still looked annoyed.

"She's right. I should call my mom and tell her I'm staying over." Gabriella walked into the living room and stared out the large window at the blizzard as she called her mother. Ryan smiled at the thought of Gabriella staying the night; an added bonus to their wonderful evening. Ryan walked down the hall to grab a pillow and some blankets, singing to himself, "Let it snow, let its now, let it snow."


	2. Silent Night

Ryella's Winter Carols

Silent Night

Summary: Gabriella and Troy have gotten married and poor Ryan is broken hearted. He takes a chance on love on Christmas night, "because on Christmas you tell the truth."

This idea was completely stolen and adjusted from Love, Actually along with a few lines from Dream for an Insomniac: two of the greatest movies ever. Oh, plus one word from Wicked.

Disclaimer: Don't own _HSM_, _Wicked, Dream for an Insomniac_ or _Love, Actually_ or any of the characters, ideas, etc.

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Everyone knew that Troy and Gabriella were meant to be, so when they announced their engagement the summer after graduation no one was surprised. The news brought smiles to everyone's face, including Sharpay who had given up on Troy after the Lava Springs incident—everyone except for Ryan Evans.

Gabriella and Ryan had gotten close to each other over the last summer and Ryan was finally able to break out of his shell and the shadow of his sister. Ryan tried out for the baseball team and made it straight to Varsity after the coach found out about all of the championships Ryan had won in years past. His being on the baseball team allowed him to spend more time with Chad Danforth, who also played baseball, which indirectly led him to hanging out with Troy and the other basketball players.

That one year with Chad, Troy, and Gabriella made Ryan realize that he really was a normal guy who just happened to like musicals. He performed in the winter musical as well as Gabriella who played his female interest for once, instead of his sister. One stage kiss was all it took to make Ryan realize that his feelings for Gabriella had passed platonic and moved into a more dangerous zone.

Of course Troy had caught on to Ryan when he lingered a little bit too long after a kiss during a rehearsal. That day, Troy had made sure that Ryan knew where he stood. Under no circumstances was Ryan to makes any moves on Gabriella; the play was _just that_, a play. Gabriella was never made aware of the confrontation or of Ryan's feelings for her, so when he stopped hanging around as much and cut their conversations short, making up some excuse or another, she was bewildered.

Ryan gave up on love and dedicated himself to baseball and school for the rest of the year. Eventually, he was able to be around Gabriella without feeling his heart shatter: now it just cracked in a few places. When he received the invitation to the wedding a year later, Ryan couldn't help but to breakdown right then and there. Luckily he was in his room with no one to witness the scene.

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Gabriella was a girl for theatrics at heart and insisted on having a winter themed wedding. It was to take place in the beginning of December so that she and Troy would return from their Honeymoon one week before Christmas. The entire church was dressed in white fabrics and tulips, Gabriella's favorite flower. She wore a magnificent white umpire-waist gown with beaded edges and a short train.

The umpire-waist made Gabriella look taller, Ryan noted as he filmed her walking down the aisle. He zoomed in close on her face so that her radiant smile could be seen through the veil. Ryan stared longingly at Gabriella through the viewing screen on the digital camera and sighed. Sharpay put a comforting hand on his arm and whispered, "Don't worry. Your time will come."

Ryan glanced over at his sister sitting next to him and smiled. She thought that he sighed because he wanted to be married, and she was partly right, but he didn't want just any bride—he wanted the bride who now stood in front of him, arm-in-arm with another man.

----------------------------------------------------------------RYELLA-----------------------------------------------------

Gabriella and Troy's honeymoon gave Ryan time to think about how he was going to move on with his life; he had always kept a little flame burning for Gabriella just in case. It was time to extinguish the flame.

Ryan sat on the floor of his room, large pieces of poster board lying around him with words scribbled on them. He was in the process of gluing a rather hideous picture of a decaying, mummified woman to one when Sharpay walked in.

"Ryan, I need you to--" she stopped mid-sentence when she saw Ryan trying to flatten out the picture of the mummy on his board. She held her hand up to her mouth in horror, eyes wide, and Ryan couldn't help but laugh at her expression. "What are you _doing_, Ryan? Planning on giving someone a heart-attack with that (1)'hideodious' thing?" Hideodious was Sharpay's new favorite word since seeing Wicked and she tried to use it at every possible opportunity.

"Nope," Ryan said to his sister simply, "Just preparing to take my last shot at love." He resumed his smoothing of the picture as if he had said that he was making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sharpay walked over and took a seat next to her brother, looking at all of the boards.

"What are you talking about? What is this?" She asked confused. Ryan had never told her about Gabriella since Troy had crushed that dream so early in its development. As simply as he could, Ryan laid out the entire story of his love lost. When he finished, Sharpay looked at him with deep understanding and sorrow in her eyes.

"There are other fish in the sea; you'll get over her," she said trying to comfort him.

Ryan looked at his sister hopelessly. "But I don't want any other fish. I want _that_ fish, the angel-faced fish—the brown-eyed Gabriella Montez fish."

Sharpay took his face in her hands and spoke seriously, "Ry, anything less than mad, passionate, extraordinary love is a waste of your time."

--------------------------------------------------------------RYELLA-----------------------------------------------------------

Troy and Gabriella sat on the couch of their new home, still relishing in their newly-wed status, watching a Christmas Carol on the television. They were both in their pajamas but Gabriella had a robe on top of hers and was wearing lavender, fuzzy slippers. She lay in Troy's arms as they reclined against the soft cushions.

The movie was about half-way through when their doorbell sounded. Gabriella sat up from her position in Troy's arms to answer the door but he held her close. "Don't get it. We'll pretend like were not home." She playfully smacked his arm. "It's Christmas," she said to him. Reluctantly, Troy let Gabriella loose from his arms and she wrapped her robe tight around her as she went to answer the door.

When Gabriella opened the door she was surprised to see Ryan standing there with an armful of poster boards and a portable boom box. They heard Troy call to her asking who was at the door. She was about to speak when he put a finger to his lips and removed the top, blank sheet to reveal a message: _Tell Him its Carolers._

"Its carolers," she called back to Troy obediently.

"Tell them to go away," he called back, but Ryan had already set the boom box to the ground and pressed the play button. The voices of a small choir filled the empty air around them as the song Silent Night began to play.

Ryan revealed the next card: _With any luck, by next year…_

He revealed the next: _I'll be going out with one of these girls_

He revealed the next which had a collage of beautiful supermodels pasted across it and he wagged his eyebrows; Gabriella smiled, trying not to laugh.

Ryan revealed the next card: _But for now, let me say…_

The next: _Without hope or agenda…_

The next: _Just because it's Christmas…_

The next: _And at Christmas you tell the truth…_

The next: _To me you are perfect…_

The next: _And my wasted heart will love you…_

The next: _Until you look like this…_

Gabriella prepared herself for what was to come next. Ryan smiled as he revealed the next card and Gabriella let a small giggle escape when he revealed the next card: the picture of the mummified woman.

As Ryan revealed the last card, the song began to fade. It said, in plain black and white,_ Merry Christmas_. With that, Ryan simply gathered together his cards, picked up his boom box and walked back to his car. Gabriella hesitated on the steps for only half of a minute before running after Ryan. He stopped when he heard the snow crunching beneath her slippered feet and turned around. To his surprise and delight, Gabriella wrapped her arms around Ryan's neck and kissed him passionately on the lips, keeping a quiet as this silent night.

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Hideodious: a mix between hideous and odious. Originates from the musical Wicked. Pronounced: Hid-Eee-Oh-Dee-Us

Kudos if any of you have seen Love, Actually or Dream for an Insomniac.


	3. Surprise

Ryella's Winter Carols

General Summary: AU – A series of winter stories about Ryan and Gabriella. Most will probably be based on a Christmas/Winter song.

A/N: This was orginally supposed to be Baby It's Cold Outside, but I was listening to my ipod while writing it and decided to throw in this song. I just had to do it, plus, I love this band because I am a dork. BUT, it makes for an extra fic. So yay! Baby It's Cold Outside will be an extension of this fic.

Disclaimer: I don't own HSM, the surprise band that I added or any of the amazing characters in the films.

Surprise Song

Late last night, Ryan had called Gabriella and invited her to his apartment to help decorate the tree. It was his first time living by himself since divided ideas about their futures had separated Ryan from his twin. Coincidentally, Ryan ended up going to a performing arts school not too far from where Gabriella studied biology at a university. They hung out together often and Gabriella found herself spending more and more time at his apartment than at her own dorm on campus. Neither was going home for Christmas this year.

Ryan had bought a six-foot Christmas tree the week before and had yet to decorate it. Unfortunately, without Sharpay to keep him on track, Ryan was quite the procrastinator. He figured that if he wanted to get the decorating done before the morning, he'd do well to bring in extra help: that meant Gabriella. Of course Gabriella jumped at the chance to spend another long night with Ryan, especially if she was spending it doing one of her favourite Christmas activities.

When Gabriella arrived she came well prepared. In her hands were two large bags filled with ribbons, tinsel, glass ornaments, glitter, glue, paint, and many other craft supplies. Ryan laughed and shook his head at her in amazement.

"When I asked you to come decorate the tree, what did you think I meant?" He asked her as he led her into the living room.

"Well, since this is your first Christmas away from home I figured that you might want to get creative. My mom and I always try to make at least one new ornament for the tree each year," she explained.

Gabriella sat on the floor of the living room in front of the tree which already had a few presents underneath it. She began to unload the spools of ribbon and things as she asked, "So your family is coming in the morning, right?"

Ryan sat down next to her and unloaded the other bag saying, "Yeah. Sharpay is getting in at ten I think and my parents should arrive soon after that. Isn't your mother coming in tomorrow as well?"

"Yes, at ten like Sharpay."

Ryan checked his watch, "Well, that gives us approximately twelve hours to get this tree together; if we don't sleep of course."

Gabriella giggled, "There will be plenty of time for sleeping, Ryan. You bought ornaments right?"

Ryan jumped up off of the floor and grabbed the bag of store bought ornaments that he kept in his closet. Gabriella inspected the ornaments and said, "These will do fine. Let's put these on first; then we will know how many extra to make."

Ryan began to open the boxes of ornaments as Gabriella rifled through her purse. Ryan hadn't noticed it before because she had been carrying the bags of crafts supplies. When she found what she was looking for, Gabriella stood up and made her way to the CD player.

"What are you putting in?" Ryan asked curiously. Gabriella hid the CD from Ryan's view on the floor as she put it into the player. That wasn't really necessary as it was a burned disk and wouldn't have been recognizable anyway, but she liked the secrecy of it.

"It's just a little something to get us in the decorating mood," she said cheeky.

At first Ryan didn't understand why Gabriella didn't want him to know what was on the CD because so far all he had heard was Christmas carols, and they were already about five songs in. As he grabbed a few more ornaments for the tree White Christmas began to fade and a new, much more upbeat song began to play.

Ryan slowly turned back to the tree as the familiar drum beat and guitar pattern made up the intro. Gabriella, who was trying very hard not to look at Ryan, was bopping around to the music as if she hadn't noticed the very un-Christmas-y song that was now playing. Ryan looked at her suspiciously as the first few words were sung by a male tenor: "Oh. Oooh. Oh. Oh….Oooh. Oh."

Gabriella could no longer resist the temptation and she turned around to look at Ryan with a big grin on her face. His jaw had dropped and eyes gone wide and she knew that he recognized the song. Gabriella's grin threatened to stretch beyond its limitations until she let out a burst of laughter which turned into a fit. She was doubled over within seconds and rolling on the floor.

Ryan couldn't believe that she had put this song in her mix of 'decorating mood' music. He hadn't heard this song since he and Sharpay were probably around ten years old. Sharpay had had a huge crush on the youngest brother of the band and played the album non-stop. The song brought on memories long forgotten of him and his twin sister dancing around their living room to the CD.

"Where did you find this song, Gaby?" He finally managed to sputter out.

Gabriella was still rolling on the floor when Ryan asked this question. She stopped her laughter long enough to say, "I've had the album since I was ten. It always makes me happy when I hear it, so I added it without a second thought."

"Sharpay and I used to dance around for hours to their CD. I don't think we ever found out what the chorus meant." He laughed and bent down to help Gabriella off of the floor.

"Yeah," Gabriella said as he helped her up. "Oh hear it comes." They had already missed the first verse and chorus, the second verse was now ending and the chorus soon began. Together they sang, "MmmBop. Ba doo, dapa doo bop. Dooba dapa doo bop, badoo, dapa doo. Yeah…"

Halfway through the chorus, Ryan and Gabriella abandoned their ornaments and began to dance around the living room as if they were ten again. When the song ended they remembered that they were supposed to be decorating and quickly resumed their festive activity. Soon they realized that the atmosphere wasn't quite the same with the same old Carols that had been playing before Hanson's Mmmbop and, with a deciding glance between the two, Gabriella replayed Mmmbop and set it re-play. For most of the night and into the early hours of the morning, that one song kept Ryan and Gabriella awake and in good spirits as they finished the tree.

Ryan placed the very last ornament on the tree with a flourish at 3 am, a hand made cardboard star tree-topper. He and Gabriella stood back from the tree admiring their handy work before taking a look around them and grimacing at their mess of ribbon, glitter, cardboard, and construction paper on the floor. With another glance at each other, they agreed to put off the clean up until they had had a nap.

Leaving for the bedroom, Ryan turned off the lights in the living room and the room went pitch black.

"Ryan!" Gabriella cried in indignation. "I'm still in here!"

Confused, Ryan flipped back on the lights. "What are you complaining about? It's not even that dark," he said continuing down the hall, oblivious.

Gabriella furrowed her eyebrows and stalked after him, "What are you talking about? It was pitchblack."

Ryan turned around to face Gabriella. "Oops. We must have forgotten to plug in the lights," he said with a shrug.

"What lights?"

Ryan put a hand on her shoulder leading her back to the living room. "The Christmas tree lights, silly."

He walked over to the wall by the tree to plug in the lights when Gaby said, "We didn't hang any lights, Ry." At this revelation they both groaned.

Gabriella looked at the digital clock on the CD player: it read 3:15 am

"Can we do it in the morning after we get some sleep?" she yawned.

Ryan stood up and began to walk to the closet where he had stored the ornaments, but halfway there he realized something else. Stopping in the middle of the hallway he groaned and smacked his forehead with his hand.

Gabriella followed him into the hall, "What now?"

Ryan didn't dare look at her. "I forgot to buy lights."

"Ryan…" she whined. "It's the day before Christmas Eve. Where are we going to find Christmas lights?"

"Technically, it's already Christmas Eve," Ryan said.

"Yeah, because that makes everything much better."

"Look, some stores are still open the day before Christmas. One of us can go in the morning after we've gotten some sleep while the other cleans up. Deal?"

Gabriella sighed, "Deal."


	4. Baby, It's Cold Outside

Ryella's Winter Carols

Summary: AU – A series of winter stories about Ryan and Gabriella. Most will probably be based on a Christmas/Winter song.

Chapter Summary: This chapter is a continuation of MmmBop. It takes place in the morning after Ryan and Gabriella have finished decorating the tree.

I don't own HSM or any of the amazing characters in the films.

Baby It's Cold Outside

"_I love those J-I-N-G-L-E bells. Gong! Those holiday J-I-N-G-L-E bells. Gong! Those happy J-I-N-G-L-E B-E-DOUBLE L-S, I love those J-I-N-G-L-E bells. Gong!"_

Gabriella kept her eyes closed as she slowly awoke from her slumber. The cheery music coming from the alarm clock-radio was loud and she reached her arm out from under the blanket to turn it off. The arm in the room was crisp and she quickly pulled her arm back in. Gabriella turned around in the bed when her arm hit something solid that definitely wasn't the wall.

She opened her eyes and almost gasped when she saw Ryan was in the bed with her. Gabriella glanced underneath the blankets and sighed in relief: they were both clothed. She was wearing one of Ryan's long t-shirts and shorts; he was wearing his usual blue and white stripped pajamas. Gabriella closed her eyes and tried to shut out the sound of the song the alarm was playing. _How can Ryan sleep through this?_ She asked herself.

Ryan shifted in his spot on the bed and squinted his eyes as if closing them tighter would shut out the noise. Gabriella noticed and turned to face the bedside table to turn off the alarm when she realized how cold it was when she attempted it before. She looked at the spot where the alarm was supposed to be, but it wasn't there. Gabriella sat up in the bed a little, searching with her eyes to spot it. _There it is!_ She thought as she found it—then frowned.

She remembered why they had placed the alarm clock where it was. Ryan and Gabriella had decided to put it on top of the dresser at the other end of the room so that whoever got up to turn it off would have to go to the store and by the Christmas lights. When she turned back around to face Ryan, the edge of the blanket slipped off of her arm exposing her to the cold room.

"Ry, have you ever heard of a handy thing called a heater?" she asked him.

Ryan shook his head 'no' and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. Gabriella reveled in his warmth. Somehow, they were able to put the alarm out of their minds and fell back to sleep.

----------------------------------------------RYELLA--------------------------------------------------

About an hour later, Gabriella woke up again. She peeked at Ryan and saw that he was still asleep; at least his eyes were still closed. She sighed and snuggled in closer to him, laying her head on his chest. Ryan gave a pleased moan and kissed Gabriella on the top of her hair. "What time is it?" He mumbled into her hair. She tried to sit up so that she could read the clock but she was stuck in his arms.

"Ryan, I need to sit up so I can read the clock."

Reluctantly, Ryan let go and Gabriella instantly wished she hadn't said anything. She squinted at the clock on the dresser trying to read the time: it was 8:15 am, they had gotten five hours of sleep. She slipped back underneath the covers and said, "It's 8:15."

She shivered and Ryan wrapped his arms around her again.

"That gives us a little more time to sleep in. My sister's plane won't arrive for another two hours."

Gabriella's eyes widened, "Oh no! My mother!" She tried to pull away from Ryan again but he wouldn't let her go.

"What are you talking about Gabby?" He asked calmly, even though she was doing all but biting him to get out of the bed.

She stopped fighting and relaxed. "My mom and Sharpay are arriving at the same time. We can't afford a limo to pick her up from the airport like _someone_ I know. I have to go get her."

"But we're supposed to do the lights. How am going to do that _and_ clean the house at the same time?" Ryan asked disappointed.

"I'll pick up the lights on the way. If you clean while I'm gone then we should be able to get the lights done in time. Okay? Now let me go."

Ryan continued to hold onto her; she tugged at his arms. "Come on, Ryan. I have to leave now if I want to get back in time," she pleaded.

"Just a few more minutes Gabby. I like having you here."

"I really, really…" Gabriella began and almost gave up when she heard a voice finish her sentence for her: _I really can't stay…_

She had forgotten that the alarm clock was still on and playing. Suddenly she had an idea.

"I've got to go away…" she sang along with the music. Ryan caught on quickly, he's not the male lead of musicals for nothing.

"But baby, it's cold outside," he sang snuggling up to Gabriella.

"This evening has been, so very nice."

"I'll hold your hands, their just like ice."

"My mother will start to worry." Gabriella sang this line emphasizing each word, because of the truth in the statement.

"Beautiful what's your hurry?"

"And father will be pacing the floor."

"Listen to the fireplace roar."

"So really I better scurry." Gabriella tickled Ryan causing him to let her go.

"Beautiful please don't hurry." She managed to get half out of the bed when Ryan caught her around the waist and pulled her back in.

"Well, maybe just a half a drink more."

"Put some records on while I pour."

"The neighbors might think…" Ryan put a finger to her lips.

"Baby, it's bad out there."

"Say, what's in this drink?" she mumbled from behind his finger.

"No cabs to be had out there."

Gabriella took a deep breath subconsciously; she looked into his luscious blue eyes.

"I wish I knew how to break this spell." She could barely speak the words, he took her breath away as her stared back at her, smiling.

"Your eyes are like starlight now…" He stroked her hair as he sang, "I'll take your hat--your hair looks swell."

"I ought to say No, no, no, sir."

"Mind if I move in closer?" Ryan touched his forehead to hers, looking at her longingly.

Being this close to Ryan, Gabriella forgot the words to the song. _At least I'm gonna say that I tried,_ the radio sang. She looked down at the pillow beneath them.

"What's the sense in hurtin' my pride?" Ryan lifted her chin to see her warm brown eyes again.

"I really can't stay…" she looked away. Gabriella didn't understand her sudden feelings for her best friend. She didn't know what to think.

"Baby, don't hold out."

Gabriella glanced back at Ryan and they sang together, "Ah, but it's cold outside."

She managed to get out of the bed this time as she sang, "I simply must go."

Ryan pouted his lips at her, "But baby it's cold outside."

"The answer is no," Gabriella said, rather than sang as she pulled on her jeans over the shorts she slept in.

"But baby it's cold outside," Ryan sang, shivering as he crawled out of the bed. Gabriella smirked.

"This welcome has been so nice and warm." She pulled a sweater on over her top.

Ryan walked over to Gabriella and hugged her around the waist, trying to get warm from her body heat.

"Look out the window at that storm."

He was close to her again and she could feel a blush creeping up. "My sister will get suspicious."

Ryan brushed his lips against hers. "Gosh your lips look delicious."

Gabriella just stared, waiting. _My brother will be there at the door._

Ryan closed the minute space between their lips with a tender kiss. Gabriella responded with a passion she didn't know she had. _Waves upon a tropical storm. _She pressed her body against his, pushing him back toward the bed. Ryan felt the edge of the bed against his knees and lay back upon it bringing Gabriella with him, lying on his chest. _My maiden aunt's mind is vicious_.

"Gosh your lips are delicious," Ryan sang into her lips.

"Well, maybe just a cigarette more." Gabriella kissed him again, her cold hands on his warm face.

_Never such a blizzard before._

She gasped as she came up for breath. "I've got to get home."

"But baby you'll freeze out there."

She stood up from the bed. "Say, lend me a comb." Gabriella turned to face the mirror; her hair was a mess. Ryan got up from the bed and grabbed a comb from his table, he handed it to her.

"It's up to your knees out there."

Gabriella took it and began to comb out her hair.

"You've been really grand."

"I thrill when you touch my hand."

"But don't you see?"

"How can you do this to me?" Ryan took one of her hands in his.

"There's bound to be talk tomorrow."

"Think of my life long sorrow..." He was making those puppy dog eyes that are so hard to resist.

"At least there'll be plenty implied."

"If you caught pneumonia and died." He stood up still holding her hand. She had already stopped combing her hair; Ryan grabbed her other hand.

"I really can't stay…"

"Get over that cold out."

He brought their hands up between them, they sang together, "Aww, but it's cold outside."

Ryan leant in to kiss Gabriella again, but she seemed to snap out of her trance. She stepped back, "No more games," she said. "I really have to go now." Ryan let go of her hands; she walked over to the dresser and turned off the alarm clock. The silence that suddenly filled the room rang in their ears.

"Wouldn't it be great if Sharpay could pick up your mom? Then you could stay here." Ryan suggested. Gabriella reached for her phone on the dresser next to the alarm clock when it suddenly began to vibrate. She pulled her hand back instantly, frightened at the sudden movement. Laughing it off, Gabriella grabbed her phone and read the ID: Mom. "Speak of the devil," she said picking it up.

"Hello?...Yes…Really?...That's great…Okay…See you soon…Love you…Bye."

"Well?" Ryan asked.

"Funny thing. You and Sharpay must really have twin telepathy because it turns out that your sister and my mother were on the same flight and Sharpay offered to bring her here in her limo."

Ryan would have laughed at the incredulity of the coincidence, but was overcome with excitement at the fact that he would be able to spend a little more time with Gabriella. "Perfect," he said with a grin as she sidled over to where she was standing.

"Oh, no. We still have work to do, Ry." She pointed her finger at him and he took her hand in his.

"Fine," he said, "Let's go." Ryan pulled her out of the room and into the hallway before running back into the room to grab a warm sweater. It was even colder outside of his room. Gabriella watched him pull a sweater over his head as she laughed. "Two words. Ryan. _Heating. Unit._"


	5. Feliz Navidad

Ryella's Winter Carols

Feliz Navidad

A/N: Hello FF world! I'm back! I know it's been two YEARS but I'm now full of new ideas and new energy. This one is a bit short but, hopefully, just as good. Enjoy ~ Trinhtrin

* * *

Gabriella Montez was excited about today. She and Ryan Evans had been assigned as lab partners in AP Biology and he was coming over to her house to study. He had offered to use his house, but Gabriella didn't think that Sharpay would allow them to get much studying done. Sharpay was a very needy and interfering person. Considering this, Ryan readily agreed and he was now on his way-she hoped-to her house. Why should this be cause for excitement, you ask? Gabriella had been nursing a crush on Ryan since they came back from Lava Springs this past summer. He had transformed into an independent, confident, _normal_ guy. He joined the baseball team this year and opted to take a lesser role in the musical in order to attend practices for both. This meant that Troy Bolton would now be first choice for male lead which suited Sharpay just fine, and Gabriella. Troy had some things to figure out, but Gabriella was accustomed to having to say Goodbye and it was only a matter of time before she'd have to say it him too. So she did.

Gabriella Montez began her Senior year as a single lady and it looked like she would be ending it as one. Ryan didn't seemed perfectly happy living in the Friend Zone. All the better, she noted, one less person to say goodbye to.

Ms. Montez was in the kitchen cooking tamales for their dinner and aroma of well-seasoned meats filled the house along with the festive holiday music that blared from the kitchen stereo. Gabriella came down from her bedroom to busy herself and take her mind off of Ryan Evans. Her offer to help was accepted by Ms. Montez and so Gabriella began mixing the cornmeal into a paste that would be later filled with delicious shredded meats and other various fillings.

As her mother moved about the kitchen she danced to the music. Gabriella enjoyed watching her mom dance and knew that her natural rhythm came from her. Gabriella would normally dance with her, but tonight she only sang along. The doorbell rang and Gabriella remembered who it was that would be on the other side of that door. After wiping her hands on a dish towel, she sprang for the door and opened it with a genuine smile. "Hi, Ryan."

Ryan had his hands in the pockets of his jacket and a wool-lined aviator hat on his head. The wind seemed to be blowing pretty hard so Gabriella stepped back quickly to let him in from the cold. A swift breeze blew in just as she was closing the door and she felt her skirt ruffle, then a chill run down her back. She shivered involunarily. "Hi, Gaby."

Ryan had taken off his jacket and was looking around for a place to put it. She showed him to the coat closet where he hung up his jacket and tossed his hat into a corner. His hair, Gabriella noticed, seemed to fall back into place after the haphazard removing of the hat. His hair was perfect and she wanted to run her hands through it, force it to rebel.

"The house smells good. Is your mom cooking?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. We're having tamales for dinner."

Ryan followed the aroma into the kitchen where Ms. Montez was still dancing and singing. She was doing the Salsa when she turned and saw their guest. "Ryan, it's good to see you," she greeted him cheerfully.

"Hi, Ms. Montez."

"We're going to study in the living room, Mom."

"Okay, I'll keep the music down."

Gabriella and Ryan walked into the room adjacent to the kitchen, separated only by a wide arch, where there were two couches, a coffee table and a television. On the table were gingerbread cookies and a biology textbook with papers sticking out of the pages. They sat on the couch nearest the table and got to work. About an hour later, as they were working on individual questions from the homework, Ryan looked toward the kitchen with a frown on his face. Gabriella looked up at him, then toward the kitchen.

"Is the music too loud?"  
"No, it's just... have all the songs been in Spanish?"

Gabriella listened to the song and recognized it right away. She laughed. "You haven't heard this song before?"

Ryan shook his head No.

"It's 'Feliz Navidad'. The only Spanish song English stations play at Christmas."

"Why? What does it say?"

Gabriella smiled and translated the lyrics of the chorus for him. "Feliz Navidad: Merry Christmas. "Prospero ano y felicidad: Have a happy and prosperous New Year. More or less. Didn't you take Spanish?"

"No, I took French."

"Beause there's a plethera of French-speaking people in New Mexico?" Gabriella said this with sarcastic humour.

Ryan feigned an insulted expression. "It just so happens that both 'The Phantom of the Opera' and 'Les Miserable' are based in France. I have to perfect the language if I want to do justice to the characters."

"Oh good. I was hoping there would be a practical, _everyday_, application for it," she teased.

"Not everyone takes life so seriously, Miss Montez," Ryan teased back. He tickled Gabriella's waist causing her to squirm further back into the edge of the couch.

Ryan was leaning over her now, bright blue eyes twinkling over her, and she forgot where she was for a moment, lost in them. He seemed to realize that he was staring too, and so Ryan leaned back and picked up his pencil from the table. "Let's get back to work, shall we?"

Gabriella shook her head and blinked rapidly, curls flying about as she did so, trying to clear her mind. "Yeah..."

"Gabriella," Ms. Montez called out from the kitchen, "is Ryan staying for dinner?"

Gabriella sent an inquiring glance to Ryan. He smiled at her and said cheerfully, "I've never had tamales before."

She smiled back, glad that he wasn't too uncomfortable after what had just passed between them, whatever it was.

"Yes. He's staying."


	6. Hippopotamus for Christmas

Ryella's Winter Carols

Hippopotamus for Christmas

* * *

Gabriella watched the clock as she waited for the minute hand to strike the six, making the time 2:30 in the afternoon. She sipped a cup of hot cocoa as she awaited the sound of footsteps outside of her door and the cheerful voice of the one whom she had been expecting calling out her name. _Tick, tick, tick._ She started to get up from her spot on her favorite reclining chair when the door flew open and a shriek reverberated throughout the house.  
"MOMMY!"  
Gabriella put down her mug and ran to the door where her young daughter was standing in the doorway with a face rosey from cold and excitement. When the girl saw her mother, she flung her arms open wide for a big hug saying, "Mommy, I get to be in the Christmas show!" Gabriella hugged her daughter, kissed her cheek and shut the door.  
"Is that so?" She asked, barely able to hide the excitement in her own eyes.  
"Yes. I'm going to sing a song all by myself," her daughter announced proudly.

At the age of seven, Elana Evans had proved to have a beautiful and strong singing voice that could only improve with age. Gabriella did not find it surprising at all that Elli, as she was nicknamed, would be first choice for a solo. As she helped her daughter out of her winter dressings, Gabriella inquired, "What song did you get?"  
Elli thought for a moment, for she had forgotten the title in all of her excitement. "Um... Hippopotamus for Christmas."  
"I don't know that one. Can you sing it for me?"  
Elli shook her head No. "I don't know the words, but Mrs. Klein gave me a cd and the words to the song to take home." Now, free from her outerwear, Elli opened her backpack and retrieved the aforementioned items, handing them to her mother. Gabriella scanned the lyrics and decided that they should listen to it right away to become familiar with the song.

It wasn't long before Ryan came home to his daughter struggling with a song about hippopotamuses and, in good humour, he walked into the living room to see his wife and daughter looking very frustrated. After a pause and a breath, Elli started a line over again that had tripped her up.  
"Don't want a doll or dinky Tinker Toy. I want a hippopotamus to play with and destroy."  
Ryan chuckled, then immediately covered his mouth. It was too late though, he had been spotted, and would surely be reprimanded.  
"Daddy, don't laugh!" Elli demanded with a stomp of her foot. "I'm trying."  
Ryan appologized most sincerely and sat next to his wife on the couch. "What are we singing?" he asked sweetly, giving Gabriella a hug.  
"Hippopotamus for Christmas. Elli has to sing it for the Christmas show at school," his wife explained.  
"Ah." Ryan looked at the paper her hands. "And these are the lyrics?" Nods from both girls assured him he was correct. He chuckled again. "Elli, the line is 'play with and _enjoy_'. _Not _destroy."  
Elli sighed and tried again.

They went on like this for hours, breaking only for dinner and homework, and again the next morning and afterschool. The Evans work ethic obviously had not lost it's power. It was not that the song was long, only difficult. The rhyming of long words like hippopotamus with just as long words like rhinoceros was not easy for a seven year old to master in a short time.

Once again, Ryan came home to Gabriella and Elli singing the same song that had been playing in his head all day. He greeted them with hugs and kisses and offered to help if he could. Gabriella gave her husband a withering look and said quite seriously, "I never thought I'd be teaching my daughter to _use_ improper grammar."  
Ryan chuckled. "What do you mean?"  
She pointed to the last chorus in which the words were slightly altered to, perhaps, imply even more that this was a child singing. The line read: 'No crocodiles or rhinoceroses**es**. I only like hippopotamuses**es.**' It was even difficult for Ryan to sing such deliberate excessive pluralization. He looked up at his daughter and set his shoulders with determination. They were almost finished, and the they'd only have to worry about choreography.  
"Ok, Elli. One more time." Ryan anticipated this being a very long December.


	7. All I Want for Christmas

Ryella's Winter Carols

All I Want for Christmas

Gabriella Montez and Ryan Evans had been dating for just under a year and, if Ryan hadn't gotten the job of his dreams, this would have been their first Christmas together. Gabriella felt bad for thinking about her boyfriend's job in such a negative light. After graduating from Juliard with a Bachelor of Arts, Ryan had gotten many calls for choreography work in the States and in Europe. He travelled around a lot, which was how he was reunited with Gabriella, but he was always able to come home for the holidays at least. This year Ryan got the opportunity of his dreams, headlining with a troupe of singers and dancers performing for the troops away at war. The tour would run through the entire month of December and he would return to New Mexico on the 2nd of January.

Tonight was Christmas Eve and Gabriella was sitting in her apartment cooking Christmas Tamales, pots boiling and corn husks ready to be filled. As her mother did before her, Gabriella cooked when she needed a distraction. She had been at it for an hour when the phone rang. She glanced at the oven clock: it was almost 8pm. She wiped her hands on a dish towel and picked up her phone. The Caller ID said it was Ryan. Gabriella grinned and her heart pounded as she pressed the 'TALK' button. "Ryan!"

"Hey, Gabs." His voice was smooth and easy, the way she remembered it. "It's good to hear your voice."  
"Yours too," she cooed.

"What are you up to?" he asked. Gabriella hated small talk. It was so awkward when there was so much more to do than play catch up.

"I'm making tamales."  
"You've been missing me," he teased. She had talked about how much she enjoyed spending Christmas morning making tamales with her mother the last time they spoke. She would only take on a job like that if she really needed the distraction.

Gabriella looked around at all of the food in the pots and on the counter tops. She changed the subject. "So, how's the tour? Where are you now?"  
"It's been great. I've never experienced anything like it. I could do this every year," Ryan gushed.

Gabriella's heart sank. "Every year?" she asked in a small voice.

He chuckled. "I miss you too. One more week, love."  
"I bought your Christmas present yesterday. Where do I send it?" she changed the subject again.  
"Oh..." he temporized, drawing out the word. "You know, you should probably just hold onto it."  
Gabriella was surprised. "What? Why?"  
"It may not get to us in time... And I want to see your face when I open it. Just hold onto it, okay?"

Gabriella frowned. Ryan was acting weird. "Okay, Ryan," she acceded.  
"I have a Christmas surprise for _you_."  
Gabriella walked over to the window and looked out at the snow covered view outside.

"Ry, I don't want anything for Christmas," she sighed.  
It was Ryan's turn to be surprised. "No?"

"There is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know. Make my wish come true. All I want for Christmas is _you_."

"Gabs..."

A car drove passed her house, then another and another. She walked out of the kitchen toward the living room in the front of the house.

"I don't want a lot for Christmas, this is all I'm asking for." Her voice cracked as she choked back tears. "I just want to see my baby standing right outside my door." Gabriella stroked the front door wistfully as she passed it by and entered the living room. "I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know. Make my wish come true. All I want for Christmas-" The doorbell rang stopping her midsentence. Gabriella jumped up in astonishment and returned to the door. She cracked it open against the cold to see who it could be. It was Ryan. She squealed, thrusting the door open all of the way, and hugged him, "-is you!"

When she hugged him, Gabriella felt something strange between them. She let Ryan go and stepped back to take a look at him. His arm was in a sling but he was smiling. "Oh, Ryan!"

He shrugged, then winced. "Merry Christmas. Can I come in? It's freezing out here."

She blushed and let him into the house with an appology.

They settled into the warm kitchen and Gabriella made them cups of hot apple cider. Ryan told her about how the troupe's caravan was caught in a crossfire between destinations. He got shot in the shoulder, was patched up and sent on the earliest flight back to the States. When he finished his anecdote Ryan looked straight into his girlfriend's eyes. "Be careful what you wish for." 


	8. Snow

Snow

A/N: I know it has been a very long time since my last post, but this is a long one. I hope it makes up for my absence. By the way, the names in CAPS are meant to distinguish characters from real people once the auditions start. Enjoy.

* * *

Gabriella Montez had been employed as a chemistry teacher for the ninth and tenth grades at Manhattan High School for three years. She had substituted for the previous chemistry teacher who was on maternity leave; the principal found that the students enjoyed Miss Montez's lessons and learned a great deal more during her employment. He was so impressed that he created the under-class position for her. Mrs. Elizabeth Hampton taught the eleventh and twelfth grade Advanced Placement chemistry classes of which there were fewer students and so more time for her to be at home with her new born child.

Miss Montez also took over the Chemistry Club, which brought back many happy memories of her time at East High with Taylor McKessy, mixing solutions and solving chemical equations. This year, her fourth year, Gabriella felt that something more was missing from her life. She loved her students and her work, but there was a small voice in the back of her mind, chanting, that she needed something more. When she saw the audition notice for the school's Christmas play, Gabriella knew that the thrill and drama of performing on stage was what she had been missing from her life.

* * *

Ryan Evans, winner of the Juliard scholarship for choreography in his senior year of high school, had graduated from the prestigious New York dance school three years ago – and he was now without a job. A proper job, that is, for as talented of a dancer as Mr. Evans was. He had taken his sister's cue and choreographed musicals for some of the high schools; and though the success of each production was rewarding, the pay was lowsy.

Above all, Ryan missed being the one on stage, under the spotlight. He had none of his sister's cunning personality or stubborn determination, and he used to think that was a good thing. Now, he wished he was more like her if it meant he got his share of the spotlight. For another taste of that, he would perform for free.

* * *

Gabriella sat on the cold tile floor of the auditorium corridor with a few select pages of a script in her hands and a pen in her mouth. She had seen the audition advertisement for the community center's production of The Sound of Music taped to the wall outside of her apartment and made it her priority to show up this Saturday morning.

Men and women of various ages had shown up more prepared (obviously forewarned) and earlier than she. Many had already memorized their lines by the time she showed up at twelve-thirty in the afternoon, half of an hour past the advertised time on the ad. Others were practicing the audition songs for their character; snippets of 'I Have Confidence', 'My Favorite Things', and 'Edelweiss' could be heard as she passed different sections of the corridor. Gabriella hadn't even thought of who she was going to audition for until she got to the sign-in table. She chose her favorite character, Maria.

After what seemed like twenty minutes of reading her lines under her breath, trying out different inflections where she was uncertain of the emotion in the scene, through the noise of fifty or so others doing the same, Gabriella was ready to give up. She had never been to a real audition before, her only theatre experience was with East High and the first time was by accident. Gabrielle loved to perform but, she thought, maybe she wasn't ready for the real thing. This was only a community center event; she could hardly imagine what a real audition—where the actors were paid—would be like.

Gabriella sucked a gulp from her water bottle, then closed it and stuffed it into her hand bag, followed by her pen and script. She slung the straps over her shoulder and looked for the nearest exit.

"_Edelweiss… Edelweiss…_"

There was that song again and one of the many male voices singing it. Edelweiss appeared to be the only song given for the males to audition with. She continued down the corridor and toward the voice which sounded clearer and more familiar than the rest.  
"_Every morning you great me. Edelweiss… Edelweiss_…"

It wasn't until she had passed him that Gabriella recognized the voice. She turned around on the spot and stared him up and down. Everything about him seemed different and yet, the same. He exuded confidence – evident in the strength of his voice – he was broader in the torso, his face was more defined and mature than when she saw him last, seven years ago. "Ryan Evans," she said with the tiniest sliver of doubt in her voice. It was possible that this person just happened to look like Ryan, and live in the same state where he went to university, and sound almost exactly like him. But to see Ryan Evans to audition at a community center was too ridiculous to believe. He recognized her and smiled, affirming her suspicion.

"_You look happy to see me_," he said in a sing-song voice.

Gabriella wasn't sure if he was talking to her or finishing the line of his song, but it didn't matter either way. She just found a reason to stay.

"Ryan, what are you doing here?" she said.

Ryan held out his arms to her for a hug. She went into his arms so fast and clung so tight, it was as if she was clinging to a life-preserver. "I'm auditioning, same as you," he said. Gabriella leaned back to look up at his face.

"But you went to Juliard. You should be auditioning for Broadway or something, not at a community center."

He chuckled. "Broadway isn't hiring everyday, Gaby."

"Alright, then." She let go of him and opened her hand bag to withdraw her script. "Which part are you auditioning for?" she said.

"Rolfe," he said.

Gabriella punched her hands to her hips. "Rolfe?" The straps of her bag slid from her shoulder and dropped all of its weight onto her wrist. She jerked to the side from the weight but righted herself in an instant with ease.

"Yes. I already have the blonde hair, and the other male roles don't have much dancing."

"Captain Von Trapp dances with Maria in one scene."

Ryan frowned. "True, but do you think I could play Captain Von Trapp?" he said.

Gabriella laughed at the thought of fun, energetic, playful Ryan Evans as the stern, unrelenting Captain Von Trapp. "It could be a challenge, an experiment," she said, and then showed him her script. The name 'MARIA' was written in the top margin in fat, bold black letters. "I could help. I'm Maria."

* * *

"I need all of the MARIAs and the CAPTAIN VON TRAPPs on stage please," said the voice of one of the casting directors through the speakers in the auditorium. Everyone had been gathered into the large room and sat in or around the rows seats, still reading through their material – some now blocking scenes in pairs or groups – in the low light of the house. The stage before them was flooded with light from the foot-lights. Gabriella walked to the middle of the stage and stood at the end of the line of MARIAs; there were five including herself. A yard to her left were the four CAPTAIN VON TRAPPs.

"Ok," said the same voice, "If any of you came as a pair, stand with your partner Stage Right." The owner of the voice, a man with short red hair and a beard, gestured in that direction.

Gabriella watched two of the MARIAs pair up with half of the CAPTAINs to the right of the rest of the MARIAs.

The red-headed man pointed to the first couple, then the second, "You are Pair One, Pair Two," then to the first of the singular MARIAs and singular CAPTAINs, then the second, "Pair Three, Pair Four," then he pointed to Gabriella who had no CAPTAIN to be paired with, "You will join Pair Four. CAPTAIN Four, you will read with both of the MARIAs, Four and Five."

Gabriella moved to stand with Pair Four and looked rather embarrassed about being the odd one out. Ryan felt for her. She and MARIA Four would have only half of the time to prepare with their CAPTAIN than the others.

"We will call you back to read your scene," another voice said. A female this time. She raised her hand to dismiss the actors when Gabriella stepped forward.

"Wait!" she said. "I have a CAPTAIN. He just got here." She seemed to be looking into the audience and waving someone over. Ryan looked around the auditorium but did not see anyone acknowledge her back. "Ryan!" she said.

He could actually feel his eyelids widened at the sound of his name being called. What was she thinking?

"Fine," the woman said. "You and your CAPTAIN will be Pair Five. You are all dismissed."

Ryan got up to meet Gabriella at the stairs to the stage. "Ryan, I am so sorry!" she said as soon as she saw him.

"What were you thinking?" he said. They stepped over to the side of the stage so they would be out of the other actors' way.

"I didn't have a partner and I was so embarrassed… I'm sorry, Ryan." Gabriella grabbed his hand in both of hers and pleaded. "Please, Ryan. It's not like this will ever happen again."

He wouldn't admit it, but she was right. Their meeting at this audition was a serendipitous circumstance.

"Fine. But when they call the ROLFEs on stage, I am going up," he said.

She let go of his hand and nodded with vigor and glee. "Deal!"

* * *

"All of the ROLFEs and LIESLs to the stage please."

Ryan put down Gabriella's script. "That's me," he said. "I better get up there before I end up without my own LIESL." He grinned at her and then ran up to the stage. His long legs and athletic build earned him the second spot in the line of five ROLFEs. There were six LIESLs. He had nothing to worry about – but Gabriella did.

When Ryan came off the stage with his LIESL behind him, Gabriella hurried to his side.

"Ryan," she said, "what are we going to do? You can't practice with her _and_ me."

Ryan smiled. He looked as if he had everything under control. "Don't worry. I'm not," he said.

Gabriella started. "You aren't?"

"Of course not. You know your part very well, and you have me as your partner. You can't lose." He put his hands on her shoulders and directed her back to her seat. "Go relax, practice your song. I have to rehearse with LIESL Three."

Gabriella disappointed but did as she was told. This was her fault after all. The least she could do was to give Ryan a fair chance at earning the part he really wanted.

"Does that go for me, too?" She heard LIESL Three say to Ryan.

"What?" he said.

"You said because she has you as a partner she can't lose," LIESL said. "That goes for me too, right?"

Ryan turned to his partner and grinned. "Absolutely."

* * *

The MARIAs and CAPTAINs were called back onto the stage after all of the parts had been accounted for in front of the casting directors. They were instructed to line up in the wing Stage Right in order of their numbers. Gabriella hid her face in Ryan's back as they waited in line; her hands gripped the back of his shirt in tight fists that were pressed to her ears. She did not want to see or hear the couples going on before her.

Ryan was much too occupied with LIESL Three to pay attention to Gabriella's competition. He merely tugged her along as the line grew shorter until Pair Four was on stage. He gestured to his back and asked LIESL Three to get Gabriella's attention. When he felt the pressure release from his back, Ryan dismissed LIESL and looked over his shoulder at his current partner. "We're up next," he said.

Gabriella gave him a coy smile. "Sorry about your shirt." Ryan straightened it out and then slipped his hands into the pockets of his trousers and shrugged. "I haven't been this nervous since Tinsel Towne," she said.

Ryan lowered his head to look her directly in the eyes. "There isn't always going to be someone to guide you along." She looked down at the dusty stage floorboards. "But I am with you this time and I have a hundred times more of the experience that Troy had when you auditioned for Tinsel Towne."

Gabriella laughed and excitement seemed to come back into her eyes. Then they were called on to the stage; Pair Four exited Stage Left. She groaned. "Oh no. Ryan, I don't think I can do this."

"Yes, you can. It's just you and me out there. Don't think about anyone else." He led her onto the stage and smiled at the audience.

"Names?"

"Ryan Evans and Gabriella Montez," Ryan said.

"Ryan, didn't we see you line up earlier as ROLFE?" A new voice said from the casting table. There was a sound of papers rustling.

He stepped forward. "Yes. I am reading for both ROLFE and," here he paused and sighed, his eyes flickered to Gabriella and then back to the casting table, "CAPTAIN VON TRAPP."

"When you are ready," the voice said. The owner gestured to him that they were to proceed with the audition.

Ryan went back to Gabriella and took her hands in his. "Are you ready?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay," she said. "I'm ready.

He grinned at her and then dropped her hands. He walked back to the wing at Stage Right and then mouthed to her, 'Follow my lead.'

At that moment, Gabriella wished she had not said that she was ready. She was not good at improvising and what Ryan wanted her to do sounded a lot like improvising. She gulped and then nodded. Ryan had the first line.

Ryan walked toward her with long, swift strides. He stopped a few feet from her and Down Stage with a straight back and firm expression. He stopped his foot, creating a loud 'bang'.

"In the future you will kindly remember there are certain rooms in this house which are not to be disturbed," Ryan said.

Gabriella scurried to his side. "Yes, Captain. Sir."

Ryan walked Up Stage a bit and to the left with Gabriella tagging along with a smile. He looked down at her. "Why do you stare at me that way?"

"Well, you don't look at all like a sea Captain, sir."

He turned to the side to face her direct. "I'm afraid you don't look very much like a governess. Turn around, please."

"What?"

"Hmm, turn." Ryan revolved his pointer finger in demonstration. Gabriella clasped her hands behind her back and turned in a small circle as instructed. "Hat - off."

Gabriella pretended to take off a hat and hold it in her hands as she awaited further instruction. Ryan grimaced and shook his head.

"It's the dress. You'll have to put on another one before you meet the children."

"But I don't have another one. When we enter the Abbey, our worldly clothes are given to the poor."

"What about this one?"

Gabrielle looked down at her 'dress' and then back up at Ryan.

"Well, the poor didn't want this one."

Ryan crossed one arm over his chest and held his chin in the other.

"Hmm."

Gabriella reached out to touch his arm but remembered herself at the last second and retracted it. "Well, I would have made myself a new dress, but there wasn't time. I can make my own clothes."

"Well, I'll see that you get some material... today, if possible. –"

Ryan was cut off here by a casting director. "That's enough. Thank you. You will hear from us tomorrow. If we call you back, have your song prepared. We don't have enough time to do them today."

Ryan took Gabriella's hand and led her off stage. "You were great," he said.

* * *

Gabriella waited for Ryan to have his scene with LIESL and then come back to their seats. LIESL Three tagged along, chatting away in Ryan's ear. Gabriella interrupted her to tell Ryan she was going home. He seemed to be relieved. She thought she actually saw him sigh when she said it.

"I'll go with you," he said. He detached himself from LIESL Three and packed up his bag.

"Oh, are you leaving too?" LIESL Three said. She had a pout and a look in her eye that Gabriella recognized as one only used by simpering flirts and spoiled little girls.

"Yes," he said. He then turned to Gabriella, bag in hand. "Ready to go?"

She smiled and then nodded. "Yeah."

"I'll walk you out!" LIESL said.

Gabriella rolled her eyes and exchanged a look of exasperation with Ryan.

As they approached the exit they heard excited whispers (in respect for the auditions going on) of a change in the climate: snow.

"Do you hear that Ryan?" Gabriella said with an excited hop in her step. "The first snow." She grabbed onto his arm. "Let's go look."

In less than a minute they were standing in the threshold of the community center exit, LIESL Three still with them among the small crowd of spectators. The flakes were coming down in a light drift on the early evening air; there would be no trace of the snow by morning. But, still, it was…

"Snow," Gabriella said with a voice of hushed awe.

Ryan put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her. "Snow," he said.

LIESL began to sing. "_Where it's snowing all winter through, that's where I want to be_."

Ryan and Gabriella looked at her for the first time with appreciation for her company. Ryan picked up the next line.

"_Snowball throwing, that's what I'll do. How I'm longing to ski through the snow_."

Gabriella picked up the harmony on 'snow' and was joined by LIESL.

"_Those glistening houses that seem to be built of snow._" – Gabriella

"_Snow. Oh, to see a mountain covered with a quilt of snow."_ – LIESL

"_What is Christmas with no…_ _snow?_" – Ryan, Gabriella, LIESL

"_No white Christmas with no…" – _Ryan

"_No_." – LIESL

"_Snow_." – Ryan

"_Snow_." – Gabriella

"_Snow_..." – Ryan, Gabriella, LIESL

Applause drew their song to a close.

"I really should get going," Gabriella said after she recovered from the surprise of the applause. "Thanks, Liesl, er – What is your name?"

LIESL held out her hand to Gabriella. "Vera."

Gabriella shook her hand. "Thanks for the song, Vera. You have a beautiful voice."

"Bye, Vera," Ryan said. He shook her hand with a sincere smile.

"Bye, Ryan. I'll see you at call backs." She winked and turned back toward the auditorium.

"Where are you parked?" Ryan said to Gabriella.

"I'm not parked anywhere. I took the bus," she said.

"Um, my car is just over here on the street." He pointed to a black car with white racing stripes on the sides. "I can drive you home." He then began to sing again. "_You'll soon be there with snow. You'll wash your hair with snow_." Gabriella grinned and took a step toward the car. Ryan stepped forward and opened the passenger door. _"And with a spade of snow, we'll build a man that's made of snow."_

Gabriella looked up at the sky and then around her at the rosy cheeked pedestrians who were caught off guard by the snow like everyone else, the buildings decorated with faerie lights, and the festive window displays. This was her favorite time of year and she wanted to enjoy it the right way: a long walk home.

"_I'd love to stay up with you,_" she said, "_but I recommend a little shut-eye, go to sleep, and dream_…_ of snow_."

"_Snow_." – Ryan

"_Snow_…" – Together.

A/N: The song 'Snow' is from the movie White Christmas. Review whether you loved it, liked it, or dislike it.


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